The Role of Leadership in Utilizing AI for School Improvement

The contemporary educational landscape is undergoing a period of significant transformation driven by rapid technological advancements. School leaders are confronted with a multitude of challenges to prepare students for an increasingly AI-driven future, innovative leadership practices are crucial for navigating these complexities and fostering school improvement. This paper addresses the role and optimal style of school leadership in leveraging AI for school improvement. The research aims to explore how school leadership can employ AIpowered strategies to improve academic outcomes and optimize administrative processes which can unlock the potential of AI in schools. The rationale behind this research holds significant value for the field of education leadership by investigating the practical application and ways of integrating AI in schools and relate it to school leadership styles. This study employs a qualitative literature review, analyzing secondary sources such as scholarly research, official guidelines, and statistical reports. A systematic search across databases like ERIC, EBSCOhost, Web of Science, and IEEE used Boolean operators to refine results. The selection process screened 35 studies, narrowing to 25 rigorously analyzed papers. A thematic analysis identified key trends, gaps, and insights, ensuring a robust evaluation of leadership styles and AI-integration in education. As a resuly, the paper’s findings prioritized transformational and ethical leadership styles for successful AI integration and highlighted the essential role of leadership to utilize AI technology by institutionalizing ethical principles, offering Gen-AI guidance and training for educators. The paper has valuable addition to the available body of literature by providing a clear roadmap for leaders on how to successfully utilize AI in their schools through promoting the ethical use of AI amongst educators and students and accommodate well-planned training for educators on how to utilize AI tools responsibly and productively. This contributes to bridging the gap in literature which lacks such clear guidance roadmap and outlined practices for leaders.